


Concerning the Development of Infant Changelings [2379]

by zombified_queer



Series: Post-Dominion Research Papers for Further Reference [1]
Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Changelings, Gen, Science Fiction, Xenobiology
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-16
Updated: 2019-02-16
Packaged: 2019-10-29 21:37:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 821
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17815961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zombified_queer/pseuds/zombified_queer
Summary: In this essay, we delve into the questions of infant Changelings and the processes of consumption involved for Changelings to have energy for their necessary biological processes.





	Concerning the Development of Infant Changelings [2379]

On the subject of Changelings, one thing remains unclear: how Changelings gather all the energy needed for their biological processes when they do not consume any matter. Mora Pol has theorized on the subject (and is a highly recommended read on the subject of Changelings, though the text has been deemed unethical in the same way Freud has become unethical), but he had never documented a Changeling's ENTIRE development from gestation to adulthood (which, though Federation-assigned terms, will serve for the purposes of this essay). This essay will not delve into the reproduction of Changelings but focus solely on the mechanics of consumption.

The source of most of this information is one Changeling who was willing to reveal the secrets of Changelings, their consumption mechanisms, and early life. So most of the information comes not only from a primary source, but also from the observation of Changelings developing outside of any laboratory.

Why would a Changeling reveal such intimate knowledge about their physiology? I quote my source, who has opted to remain anonymous, "What is knowledge if not to be shared? Perhaps it might educate someone out there, Changeling or not."

To begin, we return to the remedials of biology and ecology. Most Federation scientists understand the mutual relationship between the Trill hosts and symbionts or the mutualism between the Terran saltwater crocodiles and the Egyptian Plover bird. Under the ideal conditions, the relationship between an infant Changeling and their Vorta host plays out much the same.

Yes. Vorta. Vorta (the race most Federations might consider "slimy" or "underhanded" which is unfair to the Vorta, but that's another paper entirely) provide the ideal hosts for the Changeling infants. While it has been postulated that any humanoid species could host an infant Changeling, this has yet to be proven.

But Vorta are the ideal host. Socially, they revere the Changelings as gods and a great many of them remain obedient and subservient to Changelings by choice. Biologically, Vorta are not dependent on Ketracel White for nourishment and, thus, need to metabolize outside matter (Ketracel White, of course, is toxic to an infant Changeling with no defenses to speak of and no energy to fight environmental poisons).

The method in which infant Changelings enter their host is painless, though gruesome to those not acquainted with the process. In taking a host, the Changeling enters the Vorta's system through the pores of the skin and then bonds to them on a cellular level to siphon off the nutrients the Changeling will require for the entirety of their life.

How long the Changeling will require a host depends on the conditions the host endures. With an optimal diet and proper vitamin supplements, the Changeling should be adequately nourished in just months.

Under worse conditions, the Changeling will drain more energy to preserve itself. This tends to have a negative impact on the host and could leave long-term health problems depending on the severity of the host's environment. In the most dire of circumstances, the Changeling will consume as much energy as possible, then departing from the host before the Vorta expires.

Changelings, when bonded to a host, have an intimate knowledge of the Vorta's physical condition.

Which ties back into the idea of mutualism brought up previously. What does the Vorta get out of what would otherwise be considered a parasite.

Politically, Vorta hosting an infant Changeling are kept closer to the Dominion homefront, preventing them from being killed during war. In addition, host Vorta are able to perform their duties, but are given lighter workloads, allowing them to devote themselves more to the Changeling.

But there's more than social constructs at play. There's a biological boon to hosting an infant Changeling.

The Vorta gets a sense of taste. 

To expand on this, the Changeling will repair the pathways in the host's brain relating to taste, which then feeds into the reward pathways. This, in turn, encourages the host to eat more, ensuring there's more for the Changeling to feed from. 

In addition, this pseudo-Link allows the Vorta to feel the Changeling's emotions. Typically, Vorta hosts report positive emotions when hosting a Changeling under ideal conditions. Pride, bliss, and comfort are all par for the course.

Now, when the Changeling is ready to depart from its host, it gathers along the host's skin, making the Vorta appear to "shine." This does not hurt the Vorta. It takes approximately eight hours for the Changeling to work its way entirely out of the host's body, usually done while the host is at rest. Comparisons have been made in jest to the Changeling looking like the later stages of Parasite X infection, though Parasite X tends to come in a variety of colours.

Once the Changeling departs from its host, it can be considered as having entered its adolescence. From there, it will take months or even years to develop the shapeshifting necessary to be considered an adult.


End file.
